Doug Firley
Meet Doug Firley, the mastermind behind Shock City Studios - St. Louis' largest recording studio that's known for its unparalleled music recording, audio book production, audio/video podcast recording, musical scoring, and audio post-production services. A true leader in his field, Doug was honored as one of the "40 under 40" by the St. Louis Business Journal in 2008 and named to Alive Magazine's 2009 Buzz List. Mix Magazine recognized Shock City Studios as part of its "Class of 2009" for its innovative studio design. With a sterling reputation, Shock City Studios boasts an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and has won the prestigious BBB TORCH Award twice - in 2016 and 2021 - for its exceptional business ethics and customer service. In 2017, the studio was named a St. Louis Business of the Year by Mayor Lyda Krewson. In 2021 they received the Reader's Choice Award from The River Front Times for Best Recording Studio.
But Doug's talents don't stop at running a successful studio. He's also a skilled keyboardist, engineer, and producer for the industrial rock band, Gravity Kills. He co-wrote and produced one of the group's biggest hits, "Guilty," which blew up on local radio in the 90s and landed the band a contract with legendary New York label, TVT Records. The band's self-titled album, released in 1996, debuted at #86 on the Billboard Album Chart and sold 500,000 copies. The music video for "Guilty" received heavy rotation on MTV, ranking in the top 20 for weeks. The album also spawned three other top 30 hits on Modern Rock and Mainstream Rock radio formats. Hollywood soon took notice of Doug's musical prowess and utilized his skills on soundtracks for blockbuster films like "Seven," "Escape from L.A.," and "Mortal Kombat" (platinum-certified), and the song "Last" was featured in the film "Kissing a Fool." In 1998, Doug's production skills on the band's second album, "Perversion," further skyrocketed the group to success, reaching #107 on the Billboard Album Chart. In 2002, Gravity Kills released its third album with its new label, Sanctuary.
But Doug's talents don't stop at running a successful studio. He's also a skilled keyboardist, engineer, and producer for the industrial rock band, Gravity Kills. He co-wrote and produced one of the group's biggest hits, "Guilty," which blew up on local radio in the 90s and landed the band a contract with legendary New York label, TVT Records. The band's self-titled album, released in 1996, debuted at #86 on the Billboard Album Chart and sold 500,000 copies. The music video for "Guilty" received heavy rotation on MTV, ranking in the top 20 for weeks. The album also spawned three other top 30 hits on Modern Rock and Mainstream Rock radio formats. Hollywood soon took notice of Doug's musical prowess and utilized his skills on soundtracks for blockbuster films like "Seven," "Escape from L.A.," and "Mortal Kombat" (platinum-certified), and the song "Last" was featured in the film "Kissing a Fool." In 1998, Doug's production skills on the band's second album, "Perversion," further skyrocketed the group to success, reaching #107 on the Billboard Album Chart. In 2002, Gravity Kills released its third album with its new label, Sanctuary.